Needlemouth
by LeisaTheGreat
Summary: Two weeks after the events of How to Crash Your Dragon, a new dragon species reveals itself. Now, it's up to Hiccup to train it. But is he up to the challenge of facing the dragon even Bork was too afraid to get near? *sequel or stand-alone fanfic.* I love REVIEWS! (BOOK 2) An 'prequel' of sorts to HTTYD 2 (coming in 2014)
1. Dragon Attack

_**Chapter One**_

_**A/N: Aaaaaand I'm back! This is...*kind of* the sequel to How to Crash Your Dragon. Some details are left over from the last story but, in all, this could be a stand-alone fanfiction. Anyhow, I hope you like it and don't forget to REVIEW!**_

* * *

_"This is Berk: an island that sits pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Just a few months ago, our main occupation was killing dragons. That is, until I met Toothless. Together, we showed everyone that dragons aren't just evil monsters and that we can live with them in peace. We've been keeping notes on every dragon we've encountered so far. We think we've managed to log just about every dragon there is. Or, at least we think we have..."_

* * *

"DRAGON ATTACK!"

A horn blares somewhere in the sleeping village of Berk. Instantly, everyone snaps awake and sprints out into the streets. Why would a dragon be attacking? Everyone wants a better view of what's going on. A huge crowd of vikings spill into the streets, gazing up into the dark sky as they try to pinpoint the dragon who is supposedly attacking them. Nothing is burning, everything is quiet. What's going on?

A few seconds pass and people begin to think it may have been a false alarm. That is, until a humongous shadow glides over them and someone screams. The dragon roars and spins through the air, dive-bombing a house. The entire building shatters under the beast's massive weight.

"Where are the trainers?!" Someone shouts. "Somebody wake Hiccup!"

* * *

"Yahooo~" Hiccup cheers, laughing as Toothless twirls through the sky. The two best friends swoop through the clouds above Berk, as they always do at this hour. Toothless drones, happily and spins again. It's been a while since they've been able to do this. What with Hiccup's concussion and Toothless's leg wound, they weren't exactly in the best condition to be flying lately. Of course, that didn't stop them as often as it should have... "Okay, bud!" Hiccup calls over the sound of wind in his ears. "You ready to turn in? It's...getting..." Hiccup leans over in his saddle, eyeing Berk with a suspicious eye. "Getting late..." He finishes, steering Toothless closer. "Why are there so many lights on...?" He wonders. "Usually, everyone is asleep by now..."

Toothless tilts his head, listening to the commotion down below. He whines and looks at Hiccup, tipping him off that something is wrong.

"Come on, Toothless. Let's go check it out."

* * *

When Hiccup and Toothless land back on Berk, they're immediately greeted by the all-too familiar sounds of their home under attack. Vikings run through the streets, carrying nets and riding on dragons. A few of them notice Hiccup and yell for him to come to the town square. They're being attacked by a dragon.

Hiccup frowns. "A dragon? We haven't been attacked by a dragon since that Monstrous Nightmare a few weeks ago..." He pats Toothless's side and tells him to hurry. "They're gonna need our help."

Toothless sprints toward the center of town, his senses alert for the presence of an enemy dragon.

"Hiccup!"

He turns to find his father, Stoick, riding Thornado a few feet above him. "What's happening, dad? What kind of dragon is it?"

Stoick's expression is tight when he says, "We're not sure."

"What...?" But before Stoick can elaborate, Toothless stops dead in his tracks, jolting his Rider. "What's the matter, bud?" Just then, an ear-piercing shriek echos through the town. Hiccup flinches at the loudness of it, his head immediately beginning to ache once again with whatever is left of his concussion. He shakes it off and returns his attention to the attack. _What kind of dragon makes a sound like that? _He wonders, his inner curiosity kicking in.

With that, the dragon and Rider take off in the direction of the sound. They are shadowed, closely by Stoick and Thornado.

"Son, what are you planning on doing?" Stoick calls.

"I want to try to calm it down, see what's the matter with it. Maybe I can convince it to leave without causing anymore trouble."

"You want to try and train it?!" Stoick asks in disbelief. "Hiccup, this thing isn't just some Nadderhead or Gronckle. We have no idea what it's capable of!"

"And that's exactly why we need to try and get to know it." He points out. "I've got to try!"

Stoick sighs, knowing there's no way he can change his son's mind. "Just be careful. I'll be right behind you in case anything happens."

"Right, thanks Dad."

* * *

The town square is chaotic with vikings running around in a panic. Hiccup hasn't seen an attack this severe since the days before they trained dragons. People simply don't know what to do. No one wants to kill the dragon but they're afraid they'll end up getting killed instead. No one knows how to calm it down or subdue it since they don't know what it is.

Hiccup squints through the darkness, trying to figure out where the dragon is. Suddenly, as if out of no where, a shadowed figure zips through the square. It jumps, light on its feet, and lands on the roof of a nearby house. In this darkness, Hiccup can't make out what it looks like.

"What...is it?" He wonders, stepping off of Toothless.

Thornado lands right beside him and Stoick jumps off as well. "Remember, I'm right behind you."

Hiccup nods and starts walking toward the dragon, fighting to keep his heartbeat even and his breaths calm. No need to be afraid. Dragons are reasonable. Everything will be okay...

When the other vikings notice Hiccup, they seem to calm down. In fact, they stop running altogether and stare at him as he continues to edge closer and closer to the beast. A rumble goes through them as more and more people notice his presence.

"It's Hiccup...!"

"He's here...!"

"If anyone can handle the dragon, it's Hiccup...!"

Stoick trails behind his son, never once letting more than a foot of space between them. He wants to be there if he needs him.

As they draw closer, the dragon's features become clearer. Right now, it's sitting atop someone's home, watching the village as it calms down around it. Surely it must be confused. Just a minute ago, these people were in a panic. Now, all eyes are turned to one boy. One small, frail-looking boy who seems to be totally unafraid of the beast.

This dragon is definitely one that no one has ever seen before. Although its looks aren't that strange. At first glance, it could easily be mistaken for a Monstrous Nightmare. It's got the same body shape. The long snout and sharp teeth, the massive body... The only difference being a supreme lack of sharp scales and pointed edges. This thing is sleek-like Toothless-the only protrusions being two long, curved horns that jut out from the top of its head. Its scales are a shade of pale green though, in the dark, it appears to be a ghostly white.

_They were right...it really is a new species...! _Hiccup decides as he moves closer. _I'll bet Fishlegs will be excited to enter it into the Book of Dragons..._

"Be careful." Stoick reminds him.

"I will, Dad."

Hiccup takes a small breath and lifts his hand, motioning for everyone to back off. The dragon watches him, closely, It's tail flicking back and forth. "Easy," He says in a low voice. "It's okay."

The dragon growls but doesn't move.

"We don't want to hurt you." He stops just a few steps away and holds out his hand. "You can trust me."


	2. The Unknown Species

_**Chapter Two**_

"Easy," Hiccup says as he takes another step closer to the dragon. His hands are extended toward it in a peaceful manner, showing he isn't armed. His steps are slow and steady, not wanting to scare it.

The dragon tilts its head and stares at him with large, amber-colored eyes. It looks almost curious... Its eyes keep going back and forth between Hiccup, Toothless, Stoick and then back to Hiccup again. It growls and lowers itself closer to the roof, extending its wings as if to fly away.

"No, no...!" Hiccup says, suddenly. "It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you. No one is going to hurt you."

"Hiccup...!" Stoick whispers after him. "What are you doing? If it wants to leave, let it go! That's our goal here."

Hiccup shakes his head and looks back to the dragon, who is now only about three feet away. "I want to try something." He says, quietly. He takes another breath and holds out one hand, offering a smile. Maybe if he can show this dragon that humans can be trusted... "It's okay." He says again, finally closing the space between them.

That's when Astrid arrives. She and Stormfly glide down over the hills and land right beside Stoick. "What's happening?" She whispers, sensing the tension that Hiccup seems to be at the center of. "What's he doing?!"

"He's trying to train that dragon." Stoick tells her, his voice as tight as his facial expression. "It's some kind of new species...you know how he is with that stuff..."

Astrid nods and faces Hiccup once again. He's only inches from the beast, one hand held out toward it. She recognizes that move from training. He's showing it that he isn't afraid...and that it shouldn't be either. He means it no harm.

It's like the entire village takes a collective gasp when the dragon suddenly moves. It draws back its huge head and bares its teeth at Hiccup, staring straight into his eyes. But Hiccup doesn't move. He just stares back, willing the dragon not to attack him and ruin this. If it does, the village will probably forget their qualms about killing...

"It's okay..." He says once more.

The dragon narrows its eyes lowers its head again, shifting closer to Hiccup. Its teeth are still bared but it doesn't make a move to attack him. Instead, it stops growling and goes still, waiting for Hiccup to do something.

A little smile tugs at the corner of Hiccup's mouth. "See, guys?" He says quietly to those around him. "Every dragon can be reasoned with..." He reaches out, slowly and places his hand on the dragon's snout. "Even those we've never seen before."

The dragon hesitates for a moment before closing its eyes and purring. The village erupts into cheers and shouts of joy at the sight of the dragon being calmed.

"Well done, Hiccup!"

"That's how it's done!"

Hiccup smiles as he looks at his fellow vikings. They're cheering for him... He chuckles, feeling almost bashful, and turns back to the dragon. In a whispered voice, he says, "But I couldn't have done it if it hadn't been for..." He trails off, his heart slamming against his ribs.

The dragon has drawn away from his hand, its eyes locked with his. Their faces are only inches apart. A low sound resonates in its throat and it tilts its head, eyeing Hiccup strangely. The dragon's red-ish yellow eyes seem to almost glow in the darkness...

_What's it...doing? _He wonders. Meanwhile, the village is still oblivious to this change. They are patting each other on the back and congratulating Stoick for having raised such a wonderful son... But Hiccup doesn't hear any of that. His focus is being sucked in by this dragon. His mind feels clouded. What is going on? It purrs again and moves closer, swaying to the side. A weird little coo comes from its mouth, almost a laugh...

Hiccup's body goes rigid, his breath catching in his throat when he realizes... _I...I can't move! _His body feels numb, heavy. His limbs won't listen to him. He's literally paralyzed where he stands. And all the while, the dragon is moving closer and closer, almost sneaking toward him. It finally lets out a growl before parting its lips. Inside its mouth are row upon row of needle-like teeth. The dragon jumps forward, moving to bite Hiccup!

But before it gets the chance to sink its teeth into him, there's a flash of violet light. The dragon makes a sound like a scream and leaps away from Hiccup, looking at the spot of sizzling flesh on its side.

Toothless snarls and runs in front of Hiccup, firing another plasma blast.

_ Toothless...! _Hiccup realizes. _He must have sensed what was happening... _

"Hiccup!" It's Stoick's voice. Hiccup's father sprints over to him, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "What happened?!"

But Hiccup can't speak, he's still frozen where he stands.

"Son?"

"Hiccup...?" Astrid's voice is gentler, more concerned instead of confused. She moves in front of him, accidentally breaking the dragon's line of sight to Hiccup. Instantly after that, Hiccup's knees grow weak. He moans as he stumbles a bit, almost falling over. Stoick grabs his shoulder and helps him to stay on his feet.

Stoick frowns, not understanding what happened to Hiccup but knowing that the dragon did it to him. "Astrid, take Hiccup inside. We're going to work on driving this beast out of Berk."

"Yes sir." She says, slipping Hiccup's arm over her shoulder and helping him walk toward the Forge.

* * *

Once inside, she sits him on the edge of the counter and steps back. "What happened back there?" She demands, watching his face closely. He looks strange...

Hiccup doesn't answer. His expression is blank, his eyes staring at the floor.

"Hiccup!" Astrid barks, trying to snap him out of whatever trance-like state he's been placed under. When he still doesn't say anything, she barges over to him, draws back her arm and slaps him straight across the face.

"AH!" He gasps, jumping backwards and hitting the wall behind him. "A-Astrid?" Hiccup blinks and gazes around the room. "What...how did we...?"

"That dragon did something to you." She begins. "Are you okay?"

He pauses, trying to decide that. His head still feels a little foggy but he can move again. "I'm alright." He says, suddenly a light sparks in his eyes and he jumps up. "Where's the dragon? Did they..."

"No." She shakes her head. "Stoick said they would drive it away, not kill it."

Oddly enough, Hiccup breathes a sigh of relief.

"Hiccup, what kind of dragon is that? I've never seen one before..."

"No one has." Hiccup tells her, suddenly very serious. "It's not in the Book of Dragons."

"What? How do you know?"

"Well I've read through it tons of times...and besides, that thing..._hypnotized_ me. I think I would have remembered reading about a dragon who hypnotizes people."

She bites her lip. "Well if it's not in the book, then how do we know how to deal with it?"

"We'll have to figure it out ourselves." He decides. "Come on, let's get back out there before they chase it away-"

"No." She says, grabbing his wrist before he can run back outside.

"Astrid, come on. I can't just let them-"

"Listen to me." She says, firmly. "We still don't know exactly what that thing did to you. If you go back out there, it might target you again."

"I can-"

"No." She lets his wrist go and stands between him and the door. "I'll go make sure it doesn't get hurt but I want _you _to stay _here_."

"Astrid-"

"Deal?"

Hiccup sighs, placing his hands on his hips. "Fine. But be careful. We still don't know what this thing is capable of."

"Right." With that, she throws open the door and hurries outside the join the others. Before the door can close, Toothless comes running inside. The Night Fury seems unharmed, meaning he must have won in his fight against the other dragon.

Toothless coos at Hiccup and nudges his head.

Hiccup smirks. "Hey, bud. Thanks for the rescue back there."

Toothless coos again and sniffs his Rider, as if making sure he's okay. He then bounds across the room, almost knocking over pretty much everything within the shop with his tail or wings, making Hiccup laugh pretty hard.

"Okay, settle down, bud! Before you break something." Hiccup reaches out and pets his friend's head, soothing him. "Come on, we should-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Hiccup and Toothless whirl around at the sound of the scream. "That was..." Without another moment's hesitation, they run toward the door. Throwing it open, they find the dragon flying away toward the woods. But laying on the ground, gripping her bleeding side...is Astrid.

_**A/N: Ohhh what's gonna happen next?! Let me know what you think! **_


	3. Resolve

_**Chapter Three**_

_**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving American people! Have fun eating turkey and stuffing and what-not!**_

"Astrid!" Hiccup gasps as he runs out of the blacksmith shop. He kneels down beside her, his eyes wide. Her eyes are squeezed shut against the pain, small groans come from her lips. Both of her hands are pressed against a spot on her side where the flesh has been torn. It's bleeding a lot...

Others begin to come over as well. Quiet rumbles pass through the crowd when they see her condition. Stoick pushes his way through the crowd but stops when he sees her, his expression turning grave.

"What are you all doing just standing there?!" He barks. "Someone help me move her into the Great Hall."

"Yes sir."

Toothless crawls over beside Hiccup, staring at Astrid as well. He whimpers, slightly and lowers his head, his ears going back. Gently, Toothless sniffs her side and whines again.

"Son," Stoick's voice is soft when he places a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Come, we're going to take her into the Great Hall so the elder can have a look at that wound."

But Hiccup feels numb. It's not the same as when the dragon hypnotized him...this is a much deeper numbness. Colder. He nods, jerkily and stands up so his father can pick Astrid up. She gasps in pain and moans, gripping her wound tighter. Just the sight of her makes Hiccup flinch as well.

Stoick cradles the injured girl in his arms and begins walking toward the Hall. Hiccup follows him.

"What happened, Dad? How did she get hurt?" He asks in a shaky voice.

Stoick shakes his head. "I didn't see it happen."

Hiccup bites his lip, trying to calm himself. _Astrid will be okay... She's tough... She'll be fine... _He tells him. _There's no way she'd die..._ That's when Toothless nudges his Rider's leg, cooing softly. Hiccup nods but his eyes never leave Astrid. He reaches down and pets Toothless. "I know, bud... No need to worry..."

* * *

Astrid is laid on one of the many tables in the Great Hall. No one except Stoick, Hiccup and Gothi are allowed to get close to her. Well, Hiccup wasn't allowed either but they eventually gave up trying to keep him away.

Gothi's expression is tight when she removes Astrid's hands from the wound. A large amount of blood drips onto the table almost immediately and Astrid groans. Her face is pale, white as a sheet. She struggles when Gothi tries to lift her shirt so Stoick has to hold her wrists down.

"Hiccup, if you're going to stand there, help me!" Stoick barks, suddenly.

Hiccup remains glued in his spot for a moment. "U-um, okay..." He inches closer and Stoick orders him to hold her legs down so she doesn't kick and make the wound worse. Hiccup does as he's told, gently holding her ankles. However, gentle doesn't really work and Astrid unconsciously kicks him square in the jaw. Hiccup stumbles away in shock, making Stoick bark at him to keep holding her.

All the while, Gothi's expert hands peel back the blood-soaked shirt to reveal the gaping wound on Astrid's left side, just below the ribs. It's not deep but it's bleeding quite a lot. That dragon really took a chunk out of her... But...what's this?

Astrid gasps, her body going stiff for a moment when Gothi removes the object from her wound. It's a...needle? Gothi turns it over in her hands, confused. How did Astrid get a needle in her side?

Hiccup recognizes it immediately. "That's one of its teeth...!" He says and everyone looks at him. "The dragon's I mean...it's teeth looked just like that!"

Gothi nods and places the tooth on the table beside Astrid. Gobber hobbles forward, ready to interpret what the elder has to say. She takes her cane and begins scrawling something on the floor. Stoick and Hiccup release Astrid's arms and legs and go over to watch.

"She says..." Gobber squints his eyes and tilts his head, reading what she has written. "That Astrid was bitten by the dragon...and it..." He frowns in despair. "It injected her with some kind of poison..."

"Poison...?" Hiccup asks, coming closer. "You're sure that's what she said?"

"Yes, lad."

"So?" Someone yells from the crowd. "Is she gonna make it?"

Gothi writes something else and Gobber translates it.

"The wound itself isn't fatal. It will heal in time."

"But the...poison?" Hiccup asks, already having his suspicions about where this is going. "How bad is that...?"

"We can't know." Gobber says. "It's unlike any poison we've ever seen."

Hiccup closes his eyes, feeling dizzy and sick to his stomach. There's no cure to the poison? They have no way of knowing if it will kill Astrid? He feels someone touch his shoulder.

"Son, why don't you and Toothless head home. We can take care of her..."

"No." Hiccup shakes his head, reopening his eyes. "I can help!"

Gobber sighs and ushers Hiccup away from the crowd. In a low voice, he says, "What your father is trying to say is...you're not in the best condition to be taking care of her."

"What do you mean-"

"I mean, this impacts you more than anyone. She's your friend and seeing her like this hurts you. The last thing you need is more stress in that head of yours..."

Hiccup glares at him, understanding what he's getting at. "I'm fine, Gobber. You need to stop worrying about me and help Astrid!"

"That's what I'm trying to do." He growls. "Do as your father says. He knows what's best for you."

"But-"

"Now."

Hiccup parts his lips as if to keep arguing but says nothing. A broken sigh escapes instead and closes his mouth. Toothless crawls over and coos, nuzzling Hiccup's head. "Fine..." He mutters. "But I'm coming back in a few hours to check on her."

"Hiccup-"

"Come on, Gobber. I'm trying to compromise."

Gobber sighs. "Alright. Go home and get some sleep. We'll probably take her to Gothi's hut a little later. Come there when you're ready."

Hiccup nods and whispers for Toothless to follow him. The Night Fury does so quietly, his ears back and head low to the ground.

* * *

Hiccup shivers against the cold air outside the Great Hall. Snow is falling from the dark sky and settling on the frozen ground, already making heaps in the grass. Rubbing his arms, half-heartedly, he and Toothless start walking toward home. Yeah, he'll go home. But he's not planning on sleeping.

_Maybe this thing isn't in the Book of Dragons, but Bork might have mentioned it in his notes somewhere. If it is there, maybe there'll be mention of a cure..._ He decides, quickening his pace. The sooner he gets home, the sooner he'll find out what kind dragon poisoned Astrid. With a determined glint in his eyes, Hiccup starts running. _Don't you worry, Astrid. I'll find a cure for you, no matter what! There's no way I'm gonna let you die..._


	4. The Fearsome Needlemouth

_**Chapter Four**_

_**A/N: Okay so...I really like this chapter. I REALLY like this chapter XD Leave a review and let me know if you do too...**_

"Oh man..." Fishlegs mumbles, his voice tight with worry. "You don't think Astrid is really gonna-"

"No, of course not!" Hiccup interrupts him as he flips another page in Bork's notes. "Just focus on finding that dragon."

"How're we supposed to do that? You're the only one who got a good look at it!" Snotlout complains as he slides a page across the floor, eyeing boredly.

"I told you what it looks like." Hiccup grumbles, getting annoyed. "Come on, Snotlout! You like Astrid, right? Don't you want to help her?"

"Of course I do." He says, defensively. "I just don't think a bunch of books and old papers are gonna give us the answer."

"How, then, do you propose we find out how to cure the poison?" Hiccup groans, finally looking up from the page.

Snotlout shrugs. "I say we go after that dragon and just beat the answers out of it!"

"Yeah, good luck with that!" Tuffnut laughs from where he is hanging upside down in the rafters of Hiccup's room. "You can hardly even handle your own dragon."

"He's going a point." Fishlegs snickers.

"What?! Hookfang listens to me perfectly!"

"Oh? Is that why we need to keep a basin of water in the Academy to put out the fire on your pants every day? Because Hookfang listens to you?" Ruffnut chuckles as her brother high-fives him.

"We keep water there because we're training _dragons_! Hello? Fire-breathing dragons!"

"We never had one until you caught on fire that one time!"

"Yeah! Hiccup and Toothless had to fly him to the ocean and dunk him!"

"So awesome..."

"I know right?!"

"GUYS!" Hiccup shouts. "Come on! Focus! We're trying to save Astrid's life here!"

"What makes you think Bork knew what that thing was?" Tuff wonders.

"Because so far, every dragon we've encountered, Bork knew something about it. I'm just hoping he knew something about this one too..." Hiccup explains.

"What if he doesn't?" Snotlout asks. "What then?"

Hiccup sighs in frustration and puts his page down. "Why are you guys questioning this so much? What would you prefer? Just wait around and hope Gothi somehow magically comes up with a cure?!"

The other Riders look at each other. "Yeah."

"Pretty much."

"This just seems like a waste of time..."

Hiccup gapes at them. "Are you guys serious?!"

"Sorry, Hiccup...we've been looking through these notes for hours...I don't think Bork knows about this dragon..." Fishlegs admits. Just then, they all stand up. The twins drop back to the floor. "I think it's better we just try to help keep Astrid comfortable until Gothi figures this out..."

"Guys...!" Hiccup jumps to his feet as well. "You're seriously going to give up?"

"See you later, Hiccup." Snotlout says. "Have fun with your useless pages." He starts down the stairs. "Who wants to come help do something _practicle _to help Astrid?"

"Sorry, Hiccup..." Fishlegs mumbles as he hurries out after the others.

Toothless tilts his head, watching as Hiccup's friends leave the house. His nose twitches and he looks at his Rider. Why is everyone leaving so suddenly? He notices the shocked expression on his friend's face and stands up, walking over to him and purring.

"I can't believe this." Hiccup growls as he settles back down on the floor. "That dragon is in these notes somewhere...I just know it." Shaking his head, Hiccup opens the book and starts flipping through more of Bork's field notes.

* * *

Toothless yawns, tiredly from where he is, curled up beside Hiccup. The Night Fury's head is resting on his front paws, his body wrapped around his Rider while he continues scanning Bork's notes. It's been several hours and he's yet to find anything on the dragon that attacked Astrid.

Already, sunlight is streaming in through the window above Hiccup's bed and pooling on the floor in patches of gold. The young Rider's eyes are heavy, he seems to yawn every few seconds. But he's determined. Nothing is going to stop him until he finds a cure for Astrid.

Hiccup yawns once more as he flips another page. Rubbing his eye, he begins to read out loud to help him focus. "Whispering Death, no... Thunderdrum, no... Changewing, no..." He yawns again. "Monstrous Nightmare, no... Fearsome Needlemouth, no... Night Fury, no-" He stops, his heart leaping into his throat. "Needlemouth?" Suddenly, Hiccup wiggles free from Toothless and jumps to his feet. "I found it...!" He gasps. "TOOTHLESS!" He yells, startling his dragon. "I FOUND IT!"

Toothless stands up, watching him curiously.

"Listen to this!" Hiccup says, excitedly. "The Fearsome Needlemouth...a dragon I've only ever seen a few times on the island of Berk. This horrid creature has the ability to paralyze its victims before injecting a large amount of poison into them. From what I've witnessed, it can only use its poison..." Hiccup trails off, his brow furrowing. "...after having paralyzed its prey...the poison glands seem to react to the hypnotic process...if the poison is not released within ten minutes, the Needlemouth will poison itself." Hiccup stops reading and flops down onto the edge of his bed. "So that's why it bit Astrid...only so it wouldn't poison itself...and the only reason there was that risk was because..." Hiccup groans, leaning his head in his hands. "Because I got too close and got paralyzed..."

Toothless coos, sadly, as if trying to cheer his friend up.

"This is my fault..."

* * *

Hiccup takes a small breath to steady himself before pushing open the door to Gothi's hut. Inside, it's drastically warmer than outside. There's a fire roaring in a pit at the foot of a bed. Flames flicker upward, a thin column of smoke dancing across the ceiling.

"Ah, Hiccup." Gobber says, smiling at him. "It's a good thing you're here, the patient's been asking about you."

"What?"

Gobber stands aside, revealing Astrid to be laying in the bed. There's a thick quilt pulled up to her chin but she's still shivering violently. Her skin is pale but her face is red. She must have a fever.

But the only thing Hiccup cares about is that she's awake. "Astrid!" He gasps, running over to her.

The shivering girl forces a smile. "H-hey...t-took you long enough to sh-show up..." She whispers, her eyes flicking across his face. "Are y-you okay...?"

Hiccup recoils slightly. "Me? Astrid, if you haven't noticed, you're the one who was bitten by a dragon."

She smirks. "I know...b-but knowing you, you've probably put your life in danger a few times since I've been a-asleep. I-if you haven't n-noticed, you're kind of a d-danger magnet."

Hiccup can't help but smile, seeing her acting like herself. "I'm fine, Astrid. Now, how about you? How are you feeling?"

She shrugs but ends up wincing under the effort. "I've b-been better..."

He nods. "Well I've got good news."

"O-oh?"

"That dragon that bit you is called a Fearsome Needlemouth. It was in Bork's notes." He tells her.

"Really? What do the n-notes say about it?" She asks.

He hesitates. "Nothing that we already haven't figured out..." It's a lie but he doesn't know if anyone has told her about the poison yet. He doesn't want her to have to find out by accident. The notes did mention a cure...that's why he's here. To say goodbye.

"Hmm, well...when I'm patched up, we'll have to g-go find it, learn more about it...a-add it to the Book of Dragons." She says, grinning at him.

Hiccup's smile is more forced now. There's a tightness to his eyes that, under normal circumstances, Astrid never would have missed. "Yeah." He agrees. On a whim, Hiccup decides that he's might as well do this right. He might not be coming back...he wants to make sure that, if this is the last time he sees her, she remembers him the right way...

"H-Hiccup...?" She asks, noticing the pained look on his face. "W-what's the matter?"

Hiccup turns around. Gobber and the others have left the room for now...good. He doesn't want them to hear this. He swallows, nervously before turning back to Astrid. "How much have they told you?"

She frowns, confused. "I was bitten by that dragon...the Needlemouth...and it left some kind of poison in me...they're trying to find a cure."

He nods. "Astrid, I'm gonna go on a trip with Toothless for a few days. When I come back, I'll have the cure for you."

Her eyes go wide. "Y-you're l-leaving?"

"I'm not going far. That thing flew off toward the woods." He reaches down and takes ahold her hands. They're hot and she's shaking. "I promise I'll find a way to help you."

"Hiccup, no. The Needlemouth might-" She sucks in a small gasp when Hiccup suddenly leans in, closing the space between them in a matter of a second. Their lips remain pressed together for what feels like a long time. Even though it's only been a few seconds.

When Hiccup finally pulls away, there's a determined fire burning behind his eyes. "I'll be back soon." With that, he stands up and hurries out the door, leaving Astrid dumbstruck and blushing.

_**A/N: GAHHH! NOW YOU SEE WHY I'M FANGIRLING OVER MY OWN STORY! XD Sorry if you don't like this pairing. I do. And it's my fanfiction so... I win. LOL! Anyway, leave a review and let me know what you thought/what you think is going to happen! Thanks!**_


	5. Trust

_**Chapter Five**_

A biting wind roars through the trees in Berk's forests. Hiccup steers Toothless carefully, taking extra precautions so they don't crash...again. _The last thing we need is to get stuck here when Astrid needs our help. _He reminds himself as he cautiously maneuvers around another patch of tall pine trees. It might be taking them a little longer but, in the long run, safety will pay off. _Besides, we've got a whole day before the poison in Astrid's system will really kick in...after that.. _He pushes that thought away and shivers. _No. I'm going to save her...no matter what. _

Just then, Toothless's pupils turn to slits and he growls. The Night Fury struggles against Hiccup's steering, almost acting like he wants to turn around.

"What's the matter, bud?" Hiccup asks. "It's close by, isn't it? Toothless, we've gotta find that Needlemouth."

Toothless whimpers. He doesn't want to get any closer to it...

"Please, bud. This could be the only way to save Astrid's life..."

With that, Toothless lets out another drone. Almost like a sigh. Hiccup smiles, knowing he has agreed to help.

"Thanks, buddy. Now, take me to that dragon." He lightens his pressure on the foot pedal, allowing Toothless to show him the way. Toothless guides him toward a nearby cliff side.

_So that's where it ran off to..._

* * *

"Here," Gobber kneels down beside Astrid and hands her a bowl. "Drink this. Gothi made it to help your fever..."

Astrid coughs, her body still trembling violently. "Th-thanks..." She takes the bowl and lifts it to her mouth, grimacing at the bitter smell of green liquid inside. It must be a mixture of herbs. She drinks most of it at one time, leaving only about a teaspoon's amount left over. "Ughh..." She grumbles, a chill running down her spine at the nasty flavor.

Gobber takes the bowl back and sits it on a table beside him. "How're you feeling, girl?"

Astrid shrugs. "It's n-not so b-bad..." She lies.

He nods and stands up. "Try to get some rest. Gothi thinks she might have a cure that could work."

The sickly girl sinks down into the bed and tugs her blankets up to her chin, shivering against the cold that her fever-stricken body feels. Closing her eyes, she lets out a small sigh. _Hiccup...please be careful... _

* * *

Hiccup and Toothless are crouched down behind a patch of thick brush. The peak of the hill is only a few feet away. Resting on top of it, is the Needlemouth. Hiccup swallows, nervously, remembering how he was completely incapable training it before. "Alright, bud." He whispers. "You've gotta stay here...otherwise, it might think we're a threat."

Toothless whimpers quietly and bites down on Hiccup's sleeve, tugging him in the opposite direction.

Hiccup sighs and pets his dragon's head. "It'll be okay, Toothless." He stands up but motions for Toothless to stay there. "I'll be back, don't worry." And then, he moves forward, stumbling through the bushes until he makes it back into the clearing where the other dragon is resting.

Hiccup pauses, the Needlemoth is awake. And staring at him... But it doesn't move. "Um...hi there!" He says, trying to act like he isn't terrified. "Remember me? You uh, attacked my village yesterday-not that...I um...not that that's really why I'm here..." He laughs, nervously and shifts his weight in an awkward way. "Listen...I need your help."

Only now does the Needlemouth move. It stands up, turning its long neck to face him. There's a low rumbling sound coming from its throat, not quite a growl...but close.

Hiccup sighs, acting nervous and awkward won't get him anywhere. "I know you attacked my village for a reason. I'm a firm believer that dragons don't attack people for no reason. We must have done something to make you do that but..." He trails off as the Needlemouth takes a step closer, its golden eyes searching for his. "U-um...you bit my friend." He says. "And she's sick because of your venom."

It stops coming closer but its eyes never leave him. Hiccup refuses to make eye contact, knowing what will happen if he does.

"I don't blame you. You warned me to stay away and I didn't listen...some dragon trainer I am...but because of that, Astrid is dying!" He explains. "So...I guess what I'm saying is...um...could you lend me some of your venom...?" He squeezes his eyes shut and groans, internally. _Wow, smooth, Hiccup! That will definitely convince the thousand-pound poisonous lizard to hand over its poison..._ He mentally kicks himself.

The dragon lets out a terrifying hiss and starts walking toward him, extending its neck and baring the razor-sharp teeth for which it got its name.

Hiccup gasps and stumbles backwards, nearly tripping over his own two feet. "U-um, no no! Uhhh...I'm not food. Trust me, I wouldn't taste very-" He squeals in fear when it suddenly fans open its wings, actually blocking out the sun. Hiccup stumbles a few more feet away before he remembers Toothless. _No! If I act afraid, Toothless will jump in to save me! That would ruin everything...!_ Suddenly determined, he plants his feet and stops back-tracking.

The Needlemouth stops as well, its huge head lingering an inch from his chest. It sniffs him and makes that rumbling sound again.

Hiccup holds his breath, his body feeling stiff with fear. _I can do this...I can do this...I can do this...! _He gingerly lifts one hand, causing the Needlemouth to snarl and hiss. He freezes, squeezing his eyes shut again. _Come on...be a man! _"I know you understand me." He says in a shaking voice. "So please, trust me when I say not all humans are bad...I may have been a little arrogant when I thought you'd just listen to what I said...and I'm sorry! But please...please help me save my friend!"

The Needlemouth rumbles and snakes its head closer to his. Hiccup doesn't move. He's come this far, he'd might as well give it his best shot...

* * *

_Astrid shakes her head and kneels across from him. "Hiccup, what do you always say was the key to getting Toothless to like you?"_

_ "Huh?"_

_ "Just answer me."_

_ He frowns, already knowing where she's going with this. "Fish?" He jokes, half-heartedly._

_ She glares at him. "Trust." She corrects him. "You showed you trusted him and he came through for you in the end._

* * *

Hiccup takes a steady breath before making his next move. _Astrid was right, after all. Trust is the most important factor in dragon training... _Slowly, carefully, Hiccup opens his eyes. Surely enough, the Needlemouth's are directly in front of his. Their eyes meet and Hiccup's mind goes cloudy.

The dragon seems confused. Why would this child willingly open his eyes and let himself be paralyzed?

Hiccup feels his body going rigid, like before. In the moment just before he's totally frozen, he says, "I trust you."


	6. Mutuality

_**Chapter Six**_

_**A/N: This chapter is a little weird since some of it is from a dragon's point of view. I apologize it if sounds awkward. XD PS, sorry I have to call the dragon 'it' all the time. The gender will be revealed later so, hopefully, I won't have to say 'it' every two seconds! Anyway, thanks for reading and, as always, don't forget to REVIEW!**_

"I trust you." Hiccup says as his limbs go numb. His hand remains frozen, extended outward toward the Needlemouth. Soon, his mind goes blank. His head droops and his eyes close, totally at the mercy of the dragon.

The Needlemouth stares at him in confusion. It tilts its head as if to see him from another angle. Its never had prey come walking up to it and willingly look into its eyes... What is wrong with this kid? _I trust you... _That's what he said. But why? Why would he trust it? The Needlemouth growls. This must be a trick! It glances around the small clearing, sure that someone is going to jump out at it with an axe or sword...

But no one does.

Toothless lays perfectly still behind the bushes. As much as he wants to go help Hiccup, he knows better. If he makes a move...that Needlemouth will kill his friend. He can't let that happen...

The Needlemouth flinches suddenly, the feeling on its venom built up in its fangs. It opens its mouth and moves closer to Hiccup's throat. One bite and he will die. Just one bite... The Needlemouth stops, closes its mouth and backs away. This boy was friends with a dragon, right? But that doesn't make sense. The Night Fury saved him before...so why is he here and risking his life all over again? _Please help me save my friend... _Oh, that's right. That girl. The one who came charging at the Needlemouth with nothing but a net! How foolish...

It opens its mouth again. No reason to make this any harder than it has to be. It moves toward Hiccup one last time, its fangs dripping with poison... But once again, it stops. _ I know you did it for a reason. _He was right about that much... The dragon's golden eyes widen. This boy, as well as that whole town, are friends with dragons...maybe they could... The Needlemouth abruptly pulls away from Hiccup and scurries down the side of the hill.

As soon as it's no longer looking at him, Hiccup's paralysis breaks. He groans as he sinks to the ground, just barely catching himself on his hands and knees. "What happened...?" He wonders, gazing around the clearing with groggy eyes. His head is throbbing and black spots litter his vision. He gets the feeling he won't remain conscious for very long. He just barely manages to spot the tip of the Needlemouth's tail as it disappears over the side of the hill, seeming to be in a hurry.

It races down to the trees and opens its mouth, sinking its teeth into one of them. The bark turns black as the dragon's venom is released into it. The Needlemouth backs up and shakes its head in relief. After that, it heads back up to the hill where Hiccup is waiting.

Surely enough, he's still there. Looking dazed and unsteady. The Needlemouth runs over to him and crouches down, gazing into his eyes once more. This time, though, it has no intention of paralyzing him.

Hiccup stares back, still only half awake. His eyes go wide when he sees what the dragon is trying to tell him. In the black depths of its pupils, an image is moving. A memory?

* * *

_Hiccup holds out his hand and smiles at the dragon. It can clearly see the fear in his eyes, the slight trembling on his outstretched hand. But still, his voice is even when he says, "I trust you."_

* * *

The memory stops there, then replays. It stops and replays, again and again. Each time, less and less of the beginning is shown. Eventually, it just becomes Hiccup saying 'I trust you' over and over and over... The dragon pulls away from him, a question burning behind its eyes. _I trust you._

The faintest smile forms on Hiccup's lips. He struggles to his wobbly feet and nods at the dragon. Slowly, he lifts his hand again. This time, the Needlemouth moves forward and presses its forehead to his palm. Their eyes never once separate and Hiccup's mind doesn't cloud over.

The Needlemouth needs his help, just like he needs its help.

"Right," He says, still smiling. "I'll do whatever I can to help you."

The dragon purrs and lowers its head, allowing him access to its back. Hiccup begins to climb on but stops, remembering Toothless.

"One second." He says as he jumps back down. "I'll be right back." Hiccup runs off toward the trees, leaving his new friend confused but comfortable in the knowledge that he'll return. He slips through the bushes to where Toothless is laying flat on his belly.

The Night Fury's head perks up, seeing him again. He jumps up and licks his Rider's face, cooing loudly.

"Ssh, ssh!" Hiccup says, laughing a little. "Listen, bud. I've gotta help the Needlemouth with something first. Do me a favor and head back to Berk, wait for me there."

Toothless's eyes turn almost sad.

"It's alright, bud. I'll be home soon." He assures him. "Make sure you're not seen by anyone. If you are, they'll know I'm not in the village..."

Toothless nods and licks him again, wishing him luck.

"Thanks, buddy. I'll be back soon with the cure for Astrid." With that, he stands up and hurries back to the Needlemouth. Whatever it is that it needs, it must be important. After all, it had the perfect chance to simply kill him right on the spot, as any other dragon would have. He gave himself up, after all. Hiccup expertly hops onto the dragon's back and pats its side. "Alright. Show me the way."

The Needlemouth snaps open its wings and leaps into the sky, rocketing away from Berk's woods and out toward the ocean.

* * *

Toothless watches Hiccup and the Needlemouth until they are out of sight. An unsure whimper escapes the Night Fury's throat but he shakes his fears away. Hiccup will be fine. He said it himself. All Toothless can do is return to Berk as he was told and trust that Hiccup will be okay without him...

* * *

Astrid coughs, violently. Blood seeps from the bandage around her waist, staining it dark red. The girl's skin is deathly pale, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Nothing is working. Everything Gothi tries has little to no effect. At this rate...Astrid is going to die.

The small room is occupied by more people now. Stoick, Gobber, Gothi and Astrid's fellow Riders pack the room to the brim. All of them want to be there for her...just in case... Well, all of them are there...except Hiccup. No one seems to know where he is. Shouldn't he be there too? After all, out of all the people in the room, Astrid is closest to him.

"Last we saw, he was still looking through the Book of Dragons." Fishlegs whispers. "But that was this morning..."

"And no one has seen him since?" Stoick asks in an equally low voice. As worried as he is about Astrid, he can't help but fret about his son as well. He wouldn't put it past Alvin to sneak onto the island and steal his son away when they're all so distracted... Or even for Hiccup to put himself in harm's way on his own. He has a tendency for being a danger magnet, after all...

"Why're we whispering?" Tuffnut asks in a half-whisper.

"Because no one knows where Hiccup is, idiot." Ruff answers.

"Oh, I know where Hiccup is." Tuff says with a smug grin on his face.

Stoick's eyes go wide. "Where?"

"I saw him and Toothless flying off toward the eastern woods a few hours ago. Looked like he was planning on going pretty far too, had a satchel with him."

"He left?!" Stoick growls. "At a time like this?!"

"Oh man!" Fishlegs gasps. "Does this mean he figured it out?"

"Figured what out?" Stoick demands.

"Um...well, sir...this morning, he was trying to figure out what kind of dragon it was that attacked Astrid...said he was convinced that there must be a cure to the venom."

"The dragon that..." Stoick pinches the bridge of his nose. "That boy is going to be the death of me...!" With that, he stands up. "You kids stay with Astrid, take care of her."

"Where are you going, sir?" Fishlegs asks.

"To find my son before that dragon kills him!"


	7. Scars

_**Chapter Seven**_

_**A/N: How do you guys feel about the pacing of this story? Is it moving too fast? (It's hard to tell when you're the one writing it.) Also, sorry about no update for a while. I had a really busy few days with relatives visiting for the holidays and stuff. Thanks for bearing with me.**_

"Where are you going, sir?" Fishlegs asks Stoick as he begins to walk toward the door of Gothi's hut.

"To find my son before that dragon kills him." He replies, stiffly.

* * *

Hiccup holds on tight to the Needlemouth as it zips through the air. It's almost strange to him not having to steer it like he does Toothless. The dragon is in total control of where they go. Hiccup has absolutely no idea where they're headed either. All he knows is they've been flying for a while and they're headed farther and farther from town, into denser woods and steeper mountains.

Eventually, though, the Needlemouth slows down and cranes its neck, trying to find something. Hiccup leans forward, also searching even though he doesn't know what they're looking for. A moment passes and suddenly the dragon dips downward toward the ground, having found what it was looking for.

_Well, I guess we're here... _Hiccup tells himself as the dragon lands on a patch of stone at the base of a mountain. _Wherever 'here' is. _He slides down from his new companion's back and gazes around their surroundings. He's never been to this part of the island before, even with Toothless. They tend to stick around the village for the most part. Hiccup frowns when he doesn't see why the dragon took him there. Turning back to it, he asks, "What is this place?"

As if in response to his question, a small noise echos out of a nearby cavern. Hiccup spins around to face it. A small creature comes stumbling out of the darkness, squeaking in joy as it gallops toward the Needlemouth.

Hiccup's eyes go wide, his mouth falling agape. "Wait a second...so you're..." He looks back at the Needlemouth, who purrs and nuzzles the smaller dragon with its head. The baby Needlemouth whines and nuzzles back, not even paying attention to Hiccup's presence. "That's your baby...?" He asks.

The mother Needlemouth lifts her gaze to Hiccup and moves her head, like a nod. She chirps at him and lays down beside her baby, cooing in a soft voice.

Hiccup nods, trying to figure out what the dragon is trying to tell him by this. It-she...attacked Berk. But why? It has something to do with the baby. Only then does he realize something. This _must _be the Needlemouth's nest. So...where are the other Needlemouths? Hiccup takes a small step closer to the mother dragon. "Where are the others?" He asks.

She looks up at him with her large, amber eyes. A sadness lingers in them. Her baby whimpers and stands up. It wanders toward Hiccup, staring at him with equally sad eyes. He leans down and extends his hand, petting the baby's head. It coos and settles down at his feet, purring.

Hiccup sighs and sits down, still petting the smaller Needlemouth's back. "The other Needlemouths aren't here...so this isn't your nest. But then...why come here? If your kind aren't from Berk then...I don't get it."

Suddenly, the baby wiggles away from Hiccup and chirps at him. It runs over to its mother, who lowers her head and allows it to climb onto her back. Once on, the baby looks at Hiccup and chirps again. He stands up and walks over. What does it want?

The mother lowers her head for Hiccup as well, obviously motioning for him to get on as well.

"Where are we going now...?" He wonders, mostly to himself.

The baby coos and crawls into his lap as its mother opens her wings and flies into the air, still heading away from town. A cold feeling settles into Hiccup's gut when he remembers Astrid. _I want to help these two but...if we don't hurry, Astrid will die. _However, there's not much Hiccup can do as he is flown away from his village, practically a captive on the dragon's back.

* * *

Stoick runs down the street toward his house, where Thornado will be waiting for him. However, his heart leaps at a familiar sight creeping toward his home. A little black shape slinks out of the woods.

Toothless's head is low as he tries to sneak into the house without being seen. He'll have to go in through Hiccup's window. Hiccup... A small whimper escapes his throat at the thought of his Rider. Is he safe? He wishes he could fly after him, make sure he's still okay... But then-

"Toothless!" Stoick shouts.

The Night Fury flinches. He's been spotted.

Stoick hurries over to him, expecting to see his son strapped into the saddle, as he always is. But the closer he gets, the more clearly he is able to see that Hiccup is not with his dragon... "Hiccup..." He breathes as he stops in front of Toothless's. It doesn't help that the dragon looks extremely guilty, with those big sad eyes. Stoick kneels down in front of him. "Toothless, where's Hiccup?" He asks.

Toothless avoids his eyes.

"Why isn't he with you? Is he hurt?" Stoick persists. Toothless can't answer him so Stoick can only assume the worst. Seeming to have made up his mind, Berk's chief stands up. "Toothless," He says. "Can you take me to him?"

Toothless's ears perk up, hearing this. That's right! Stoick knows the controls of the foot pedals from when he was learning how to ride dragons, before he had Thornado! Hiccup's dragon jumps to his feet and bounces around Stoick, cooing excitedly.

Stoick nods. "Alright then," He steps over Toothless's back and sits down in the saddle. "Take me to Hiccup."

* * *

There's nothing but icy waters and glaciers below them. Hiccup has long since given up trying to figure out where the Needlemouth is taking him. Instead, he's contented himself with studying the dragons. He leans forward, using his body as a shield against the wind so he can write in his notebook. It's difficult at first but he soon figures out how to make it work. He scribbles out several drawings of both the mother and her baby, lists the abilities he's witness her using. Namely, hypnosis and venom. However, he finds himself at a loss when he comes to naming their weakness... So far, he hasn't found one.

"Hmm," He taps his charcoal pencil on his chin, contemplating what this means. But he's suddenly drawn out of his thoughts when the baby dragon manages to wiggle under his arm, nuzzling his cheek. Hiccup laughs and sits up, putting his notebook and pencil back inside his vest. "You guys are pretty curious, huh? You're almost as bad as me."

The hatchling chirps, tilting its head, curiously. It hops closer, eyeing Hiccup's forehead. A jagged, pink scar remains there from where he hit his head during the crash a few weeks ago. It still isn't entirely healed. Suddenly, the baby unwraps its wings from its body, bending its neck down. It nuzzles a black mark on its chest where the skin has been marred. It healed badly, leaving a twisted scar.

Hiccup frowns at the sight of it. "That looks like a burn mark." He comments, petting the dragon's little head. "Burns hurt a lot, don't they?" He asks, understanding that the dragon is comparing Hiccup's injury to its own. Only then does he realize. His eyes narrow in confusion. "A burn...? On a dragon?"

The small Needlemouth coos and nudges Hiccup's head with its own.

"Oh, that's right." Hiccup sits back, allowing the hatchling to crawl into his lap. _When Mama Needlemouth attacked the village, she wasn't breathing fire. Toothless was able to actually burn her with his plasma blast. _"So that's your weakness. Fire."

_**A/N: So we've learned a bit more about the Needlemouth! What do you guys think of their abilities and weakness? I thought it was clever but then again, an author is the worst judge of their work. XD Let me know what you think! Also, I'd say we're about 2/3 of the way through, just so you know. We'll be finding out the reasons for the attack soon enough... So, stay tuned!**_


	8. Mainland

_**Chapter Eight**_

_**A/N: I'm trying to even out the pacing of the story so if it seems slower than the previous chapter, that's why. **_

Dull, grey light filters through the dust-caked window in Gothi's hut. Cinders glow within fire pit, a bit of smoke coiling up to the ceiling. The elder frowns as she stands by Astrid's bed, her eyes scanning the sickly girl's pale face. It's been almost a full day since she was bitten by the dragon and her condition has become far more severe than anticipated. No one expected her to be this ill this fast... If this continues, Astrid won't make it through the night.

Gothi shakes her head, a sorrow on her wrinkled face. She leans down and places a cool hand on Astrid's forehead, feeling her blazing fever. A small gasp comes from the younger girl's throat and she shivers, trying to escape the cold of Gothi's hand.

Just then, the rickety wooden door creaks open. Gothi turns around to find Gobber shuffling in. His eyes go first to Astrid and then to Gothi.

"How is she?" He asks.

The elder closes her eyes and slowly shakes her head.

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

Again, Gothi shakes her head. They've tried everything they can possibly think of. From leeches to herbs...nothing works. Nothing even helps a little. They would need a miracle to save her now.

* * *

Stoick gazes around the hill. This is where Toothless brought him. But it's empty. No Hiccup or dragon in sight. He sighs and turns back to Toothless, a desperate and fearful gleam in his eyes. "Are you sure this is where they were?"

Toothless coos and slinks over to where he can still detect Hiccup's familiar scent. He sniffs the ground and paws at it, sadly. Is Hiccup okay? Surely, he would be back by now... There are a few footprints as well. Two sets. One are smaller and rounder, Hiccup's. The others are much larger and deeper with three claw marks, the Needlemouth's. Toothless can smell its scent as well. Bitter and sharp, like the venom that exists in its fangs, coupled with the hot odor of burnt flesh. Toothless growls. If that thing hurt Hiccup... He snarls again at the thought of it.

Stoick sees this and hurries over, immediately noticing how close his son's footprints are to the dragon's. He must have been right next to it... But there are no signs of a struggle, no blood. Could it be that Hiccup really had managed to train it? _If he had, _Stoick reasons. _He would have come straight back to Berk. He was worried sick about Astrid... No. Something else is going on here. _

"Toothless," He says firmly, causing the Night Fury to look up. "Hiccup left with the dragon on his own will, didn't he? It took him somewhere."

Toothless nods, having learned that the motion means 'yes'.

"Which direction did they go?"

The dragon looks to their right, gazing at the tree tops where he last saw his Rider.

"Alright, let's go. We're going to follow them as best we can. Let's just hope we're not too late..."

* * *

The wind has died down a bit since Mama Needlemouth is now flying a bit slower than before. They must be getting close to their destination. Of course, that's kind of hard for Hiccup to believe, seeing as how they're literally in the middle of no where. Nothing but water and ice to be seen for miles...

Hiccup sighs and leans his head in his hands. His chest feels tight with nervousness. The sun is going down... It's been almost a day since Astrid was bitten. She must be getting bad by now. He closes his eyes and leans his forehead on the dragon's back. _As much as I want to help them and figure out what caused them to attack Berk, we need to go home! If Astrid dies... _He shudders at the thought of it.

But they've come too far to turn around now. The Needlemoth is now staring, intently at the area below them. Like she's searching for something. They _must_ be very close.

_Calm down, Hiccup...Astrid is going to be fine. She's to be fine... _He opens his eyes again, wincing at the glaring orange light from the sun.

Suddenly, Mama Needlemouth lets out a huge shriek and banks to the side, diving down at the same time. Hiccup has to quickly grab ahold of her so gravity doesn't suck him off her back. He almost screams at the rate of their descent, as well as the sight of land racing toward them at a stomach-churning speed.

"AGH!" Hiccup's body jolts, painfully when they suddenly slam to a halt. The dragon's wings have fanned out, stopping their mad fall to the ground. But still... "Ugh...never do that again...!" Hiccup groans. "Or else I might really throw up..."

The dragon makes a small noise. Somewhere between a chirp and hiss. It sounds like an apology but Hiccup can't be sure. It could also have been a, 'don't be such a baby'.

Regardless, the three of them are now soaring above a mass of land that seems to be much larger than Berk. And it seemed to come out of nowhere. Had Hiccup really been that distracted before? That he completely missed this huge patch of earth jutting up from the sea?

_Where are we? _He wonders. His first fear, of course, is that they've ended up on Outcast Island, or maybe the Beserker's island. But no...this place doesn't look anything like either of them. And it seems to go on forever. As far as he can see, miles and miles of trees and mountains. Huge expanses of rock and sand. Even a little creek snaking its way inland. Hiccup's eyes go wide when he realizes what this place must be. There's only one sensible conclusion for a piece of land this big... _This is the mainland...so that means...the Needlemouth's nest is here?!_

* * *

Stoick squints into the darkness, trying in desperation to find any sign of his son. He and Toothless have circled the whole island dozens of times. Nothing. It's like Hiccup just up and left Berk with that thing. But why?! Why would he do that?! Especially with what's been going on in town. Astrid is sick! She could die at any time! Hiccup should be _here_! Even if he _had_ left, where would he go?! What could be so important that he leave right now?

A million other questions buzz through Stoick's mind as he motions for Toothless to land. When he does, Stoick steps out of the saddle. He paces a few steps to the right, then the left. He continues pacing back and forth, back and forth, his mind deep in thought.

After several minutes of this, he simply stops. With a deep sigh, he goes back to Toothless. "We should go back. We're not doing anyone any good by flying around here all night..."

Toothless whimpers. He's worried for his friend.

"I know how you feel," Stoick assures him. "But...for all we know, Hiccup could be back in town already. He's...probably wondering where we are."

Toothless doesn't look convinced. But he lowers his head in defeat and allows Stoick to climb back into the saddle. The heart broken Night Fury obediently glides back into the air and heads toward Berk. A hollow hope that his Rider will be there waiting for him...

_**A/N: Awwww, I feel so bad for Toothless! He's so worried about Hiccup! *sad face*. SIGH! Anyway, let me know what you thought of today's chapter. I greatly appreciate it.**_


	9. The Nest

_**Chapter Nine**_

_The Needlemouth's nest is on the mainlands... _Hiccup realizes. _So that's why they hardly ever come to Berk. _He holds on tight as they fly over a dense forest, his eyes alight with fascination. This place looks so much different from Berk. So much larger, flatter. Berk is all steep cliffs and mountains. The mainlands are rolling hills and alternating patches of woods and fields, all blanketed with snow and ice. At least that much is the same. Hiccup smiles down at the baby Needlemouth, who coos in response.

"Seems like we're taking you home, little guy." He says with a gentle smile. _But why? Why couldn't the mother have taken him home before? _Just as he wonders about that, they clear the forest and find themselves soaring above yet another familiar sight... "There's a village down there!" He says.

Just then, someone far below looks up. Their expression turns to one of horror and they scream, "DRAGON ATTACK!"

Mama Needlemouth roars in, what Hiccup now recognizes as, frustration. She shoots up higher in the air, narrowly avoiding a bola that Hiccup hadn't even noticed flying toward them. She circles around and continues flying over the village, obviously trying to get to the other side. But before she can-

Hiccup screams as fire suddenly blasts out of no where. At first, he thinks that another dragon has arrived and is attacking them. But with a quick survey of their surroundings, he notices a man in armor, standing beside a device that looks akin to a cannon. Except when its lever is pulled, it breathes fire.

Mama Needlemouth roars in pain as her skin blisters from the heat. Her baby whimpers and hides its head under Hiccup's elbow. Only then does he realize what's going on.

_These people haven't made peace with dragons like we have...they still think they're evil. _A determined look crosses his face. He shifts his weight, tapping the Needlemouth's shoulder blade. _That's why she brought me here. With these people attacking her, she can't return to the nest. And she must have attacked Berk to get food for her baby! _"Come on, girl. Let me guide you, I'll get us out of here!"

She growls at the people below her, an unearthly hiss sizzling in her throat.

"I know you're angry." Hiccup says in a calming voice. "But right now, let's just focus on getting to your nest safely." Hearing that, she bows her head and allows Hiccup to steer her higher into the sky, out of the range of that fire-cannon. Knives, axes and cannon balls zip past them as the villagers try to take down the dragon but Hiccup expertly dodges them all. "Left!" He tells her and she pulls left, barely avoiding another weapon. "Right!" She obeys. Hiccup pats her shoulder again, approvingly. "You're doing great!" He says, "Just stick with me a little longer..."

Fire blazes beneath them, spouting up like water from a fountain. Hiccup briefly wonders how these people don't catch their own homes of fire by using weapons like that. As if in response, a group of kids come sprinting out of various buildings. All are carrying buckets of water. They systematically toss them at the closes houses, dampening the wooden structures enough to keep flames at bay.

_Wow... _Hiccup thinks. _How come we never thought of that?_ He's pulled back into reality as another axe soars past them. "Alright, girl. We're almost out."

She roars in consent and picks up her pace, rocketing at a speed that almost rivals Toothless's. She must be excited to be able to return home.

_Home... _Hiccup swallows his fear, pushing thoughts of Astrid far away. _Don't you die on me, Astrid. I'll be home soon._

A moment later, they finally reach the edge of the village. Townspeople scream in fury and wave their fists at the dragon as they watch her escape into the night. They won't chase her. They're not that stupid.

Hiccup sighs in relief as they bank upward and vanish into the clouds. Should be smooth sailing now. Next stop: the nest.

* * *

Stoick sighs for the hundredth time, a deep frown pulling down the edges of his mouth. He stares blankly at Astrid. She stopped shivering a long time ago. Now, her body is perfectly still. A sheen of sweat on her forehead is the only evidence of her fever. The shallow breaths puffing out through her pale lips are the only sign of life in the otherwise corpse-like body.

Gobber hobbles over and touches his friend's shoulder. They exchange grim looks and Gobber sits down. They both know it's too late. She'll die any minute now. Even if she received a cure...it's just too late. The venom has done its job. And on top of that, Hiccup has been gone for hours. No one has any clue where he went or if he's even still alive.

Toothless, in particular, is feeling the pain of his Rider's absence. The Night Fury is laying beside Astrid' bed, a distant look in his eyes. He's missing his friend, wishing he'd never let Hiccup leave with the Needlemouth. Now, not only is he going to lose Astrid, he might also lose his best friend.

Everyone is torn out of their sorrowful states when Astrid suddenly gulps down a huge gasp. Her eyes squeeze tightly shut and she grinds her teeth together, pain etching across her features. Her ice-cold hands grip the sheets so hard her knuckles turn white.

"Astrid!" Stoick gasps as he jumps to his feet. "Gobber, have Gothi make more pain killers!"

"Right...!"

In their distraction, both men miss the way Toothless's head suddenly perks up. A suspicious look on his face as his ears twitch. He tilts his head, listening. Then, his mouth drops open in shock. He jumps to his feet and runs to the door, pawing at it with his claws.

Stoick notices that and shakes his head. "Not now, Toothless!"

The Night Fury growls and swings his tail at Stoick, smacking him in the back of the head. This only serves to infuriate Berk's chief.

"NOT NOW, TOOTHLESS!" He barks again.

The dragon bounces away from the door, purring excitedly. A second later, the door creaks open. A teenager's head pokes in, a grim look on his freckled face. He steps inside, his metal leg creaking.

Toothless's eyes light up at the sight of him, his suspicions confirmed. He coos, loudly and bounces around the room. His tail accidentally knocks Stoick's head again and Berk's chief spins around to yell at the dragon. He stops when he sees his son standing in the doorway.

"Hiccup..." He breathes in awe. "You're home..."


	10. Awake and Alive

_**Chapter Ten**_

_**A/N: For all of you who, like me, ship Hiccup and Astrid...this chapter's for you! XD. Also, we're almost done. Just a few more chapters to wrap up the nest and all that jazz. Don't worry, you'll get all your explanations soon enough.**_

_**Okay. So, I don't speak much Spanish but I got a question in Spanish so...here I go.**_

_**A **__lilian__**: Una mirada sombria (si es la frase correcta) es cuando una persona tiene una mirada triste o furiosa (una mirada oscura). Lo siento si mi español no es bueno (yo tomo la clase en escuela)... Y gracias para leyendo. :)**_

_**Finally, to **__Cyclone20: __**I know you're trying to help but, honestly, I got the message the first time you reviewed. I'm trying my best to make this a good fanfiction but, frankly, there's no way I'm writing 2,000 or 3,000 word chapters. I write 1,400 word chapters for a reason. I'm a busy student who can only write when I'm not in school or doing homework. Which only leaves about an hour or two everyday. I'm NOT trying to sound mean or like I don't appreciate you trying to help. I really do. But I'd rather not have someone correcting me on what I could have done better after each chapter. Thanks.**_

_**(Coincidentally, this chapter is a bit longer though... XD)**_

_**Anyway, on to the chapter!**_

* * *

"Hiccup...you're home."

Hiccup nods, smiling tensely at his father and his dragon. "Sorry about disappearing like that. But I can promise you, it was worth it." He flicks his eyes to Astrid and gulps. "I got the cure."

Stoick's heart gives a jump, hearing that. He looks back to Astrid, who is still gasping for air and clutching the bed frame in pain. "You think it will save her...?" He asks, a doubt in his voice.

"It has to." Hiccup answers, coldly. _It has to..._ Wasting no more time, he leans out the door and motions with his hand for someone to come inside. "Come on, it's okay." He says in a soothing voice. "No one will hurt you."

Stoick gasps when the dragon who bit Astrid suddenly appears outside the door. It must have been waiting just out of sight... Fury boils in his stomach and his hands finds the sword on his waist. For the first time in months, he gets the urge to sink its blade into a dragon's heart.

As if sensing his father's blood lust, Hiccup turns around to face his father. In the same tone he used on the dragon, he says, "Dad, trust me. Ambereyes wouldn't hurt anyone now."

"Ambereyes?" Stoick demands, still glaring at the creature who nearly killed his son and poisoned Astrid. "You named it?!"

"Her." Hiccup corrects him. "And I'll explain everything later. But for right now, we need Gothi to make the cure."

"I thought you said you had it!"

"I have the main ingredient." Hiccup motions to Ambereyes, the Mama Needlemouth. "The venom can be extracted, just like a snake's. We can use it to make an antidote."

Stoick frowns at his son, obviously doubting that this will work. But, with a heavy sigh, he decides it's there best chance to save Astrid. "Gothi." He calls and a moment later, the elderly woman appears. She stares at Ambereyes with a confused look but doesn't run away. "Hiccup thinks he can use the venom to mix a cure. Do you think you can do it?"

Gothi hesitates, her eyes going to Astrid and then back to the Needlemouth. She nods and approaches Hiccup, cautiously.

"Don't worry, Gothi." He says. "She won't hurt you." With that, he turns to Ambereyes and smiles. "Alright, girl. You know what to do."

Ambereyes opens her mouth, revealing her needle teeth.

"Do you have a bowl I can use?" Hiccup asks no one in particular.

"Here." Stoick hands him a shallow wooden dish and Hiccup thanks him.

He watches as his son raises the bowl to the dragon's mouth. It bites down, gently on the bowl's lip. But nothing happens. Stoick is about to voice is confusion when Hiccup suddenly makes a disgruntled sound in his throat.

"I was afraid of that." He mutters.

"What? Afraid of what?" His father demands.

"The only way a Needlemouth, like Ambereyes, can use her venom is if she's already used her hypnosis..."

Stoick frowns, not liking the sound of that. "So...? What are you saying?"

Hiccup ignores his father's question and gives his new friend a look. "Ambereyes, you know what to do."

She whimpers, slightly.

"It's okay. I'll be fine." He assures her, reaching up to pet her head. "Go ahead."

She coos, apologetically, before hardening her gaze. Her golden eyes, for which she got her name, flare to life. A fire dancing within them as she begins the hypnotic process on her new friend.

Fear pangs through Hiccup as his body starts to go numb. He trusts her, but still...it never gets an easier to be paralyzed. His mind goes fuzzy and so does his vision. Little black dots cloud his sight, coupled with flashes of white stars. His head feels funny. Soon, his limbs go stiff and he can no longer feel his fingers or toes. That same icy numbness creeps through his arms and leg as well. For a moment, he's afraid the bowl will fall out of his hand...but it never does. After all, his fingers have stiffened up around it. It's not going anywhere. The last thing he sees before losing his consciousness all together, is a thick liquid beginning to drain from Ambereyes' fangs.

The dragon closes her eyes, releasing Hiccup from his hypnosis. But not before making sure Stoick takes the bowl out of his ice-cold hands. Once the bowl has been handed to Gothi so she can mix the antidote, Ambereyes frees Hiccup. He groans, quietly as he sinks toward the floor. Stoick grabs him and sweeps him into his strong arms, cradling his son against his chest. He's not sure if the cure will work...but he's still proud of Hiccup. And also furious. He scared his father to death! But... Stoick smiles down at Hiccup's peaceful, sleeping face.

_I suppose punishments can wait until later..._

* * *

A blinding light assaults her as soon as she claws her way back to consciousness. Astrid moans in pain, registering a throbbing head ache pounding in her temples. Her whole body aches. Her skin feels too hot. Her limbs feel heavy, almost dead. But...she's alive. She _alive_! She was sure she would die. She could feel the life ebbing out her...and yet...here she is! But how?! How is this possible?!

* * *

_ Hiccup nods. "Astrid, I'm gonna go on a trip with Toothless for a few days. When I come back, I'll have the cure for you."_

_ Her eyes go wide. "Y-you're l-leaving?"_

_ "I'm not going far. That thing flew off toward the woods." He reaches down and takes ahold her hands. They're hot and she's shaking. "I promise I'll find a way to help you."_

_ Astrid tries to protest but her words are interrupted when he suddenly leans down. His face is suddenly very close to hers. Almost too close. He lingers there for the slightest moment before finally closing the space between them, pressing his lips against hers._

_ When they part, Astrid feels short of breath. She can't speak, her words are caught in her throat._

_ "I'll be back soon." He assures her, flashing a tight smile._

* * *

"Hiccup..." She breathes, feeling a subtle warmth rise up in her chest. Hiccup saved her. Just like he promised. She closes her eyes, relaxing against her pillow. _Hiccup...I can't believe you actually did it... _A small smile graces her pale lips and she opens her eyes again, wincing against the light. _Then again, I guess I should know better than to doubt you by now..._ She smiles, fully now and shakes her head. _I'm alive... _She reminds herself. _I'm really alive._

That's when the door opens. Astrid grins, expecting to hear Hiccup's voice any second.

"You're awake." But it's Stoick's voice instead. "Good, you scared us all to death."

Astrid fights the urge to frown. She was hoping it'd be Hiccup... "Yeah." She tries to prop herself up onto her elbows but fails. "It was Hiccup, wasn't it?" She asks. "He really trained that dragon."

Stoick nods. "You really had him worried...and you know how he gets sometimes."

"I sure do." She agrees with a half-smirk. "So where is he? I'd like to thank him for saving my life, after all..."

Stoick chuckles a little. "He's back at the house, preparing to leave."

She really does frown this time. "Leave? Where is he going?"

"It's...a long story. But he made a promise to someone and he isn't willing to break it..."

"To who?" She asks, suspiciously.

"To the dragon. She needs his help, apparently." Stoick explains. "We're headed to the mainland..." Then, he leans over and pats her shoulder. "You get some rest. You deserve it."

"The mainland-"

"I'll tell him to stop by and see you before we leave."

Astrid opens her mouth to say something but stops. For them to be in such a hurry, it must be important. She'll just have to ask Hiccup, himself, when he gets here. "Thank you." She whispers, instead.

* * *

Hiccup kneels down in front of Toothless, wrapping his arms around the dragon's neck. "I'm sorry for worrying you, bud. I know I told you I'd be right back..."

Toothless coos, nuzzling his head into Hiccup's shoulder. When Hiccup pulls away, he smiles at his best friend and stands up. He expertly hops into the saddle, and smiles in relief. As obedient as Ambereyes had been, he missed be able to fly with Toothless.

"Alright, bud. Let's go. I want to check on Astrid before we leave."

With that, they ascend into the cloudy sky and begin to glide in the direction of Gothi's hut. There's a warmth in the air that seemed to come out of nowhere. It had been so cold earlier... Hiccup smiles, gently. Confident that he'll be able to keep his end of the deal. Ambereyes helped save Astrid. Now he wants to help save her and her family.

_All I have to do is convince those people on the mainland to make peace with dragons...simple, right? I mean I did it here...sort of..._ He shakes the thoughts away and, instead, focuses his mind on seeing Astrid again. His father told him she was awake and wanted to talk to him... His stomach flutters at the memory of when he'd kissed her. Would she remember? She was kind of out of it when it happened. He sighs. Regardless, she's alive. That's all that matters.

Toothless slows down and brings them in for a landing as they near the shack. He purrs, sensing Astrid is inside. When he skids to a halt, Hiccup steps off. He takes a few steps before stopping. A nervous little laugh escapes him and he plants his hands of his hips, gazing at the sky.

_Why am I so nervous? It's just Astrid! _He closes his eyes and takes a steadying breath to combat the butterflies he's feeling within him. Then, he opens his eyes again and continues to the hut. With a trembling hand, he reaches out and grabs ahold of the knob. Pulling it open, he tries to convince himself he isn't blushing...

* * *

Astrid is laying in her bed, her arms folded behind her head. She might look relaxed, like nothing is bothering her, but it's quite the opposite. There's a distressed look on her face that betrays her inner turmoil.

_I hope he gets here soon...I have so many questions..._

As if answering her silent prayer, the sound of wings immediately greets her. She sees a familiar shadow pass over the hut and the very tip of a red tail fin through the window by the door. Outside, she can hear the droning sound of a Night Fury as well as the creak of a metal leg...

_Hiccup's here! _She struggles to sit up, not wanting to look sick in front of him again. A fiery blush lights her cheeks at the memory of what Hiccup said...and did...the last time they spoke. She just hopes that maybe he'll pass the blush off as a fever...even though she is no longer sick, just weak. But hey, maybe he doesn't know that...?

A moment later, the door creaks open. Hiccup's head pokes inside, it's practically glowing thanks to a halo of light leaking in from outside. He smiles, sheepishly when he sees her.

"Can I come in...?" He asks and she can hear the slightest quake in his voice. Is he nervous too? Good, that makes this a little less embarrassing for her.

"Yeah." She says in an equally unsteady voice. _Gods, this is weird. Why am I so nervous about seeing Hiccup, of all people? It's not like- _She almost flinches, remembering the kiss. _Like I like him or anything...right...?_ "Hey, Hiccup..." She says, trying to salvage a bit of confidence to help scrape together a bit of composure.

He grins, showing his awkward buck teeth. "Um, how are you feeling, Astrid?"

"Better." She answer quickly. "Thanks...to you, of course."

"It was mostly Ambereyes." He says, as if she should know who that is.

"Ambereyes?"

He chuckles. "The dragon...her name is Ambereyes."

"Oh...that's fitting." She tries to joke, remembering those deep, mesmerizing eyes of hers. "So it's a girl."

"Yep. A...mother, actually." He clarifies, seeming a tad bit more comfortable now. He finally comes the rest of the way inside and even sits down on the stool beside her bed.

"There are more of them?" Astrid gasps.

"Of course. Well, not on Berk."

_Oh, I get it. _"Their nest is on the mainlands?"

Hiccup stares at her for a second, taken aback by her knowledge of that. "Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"

"Your dad mentioned the mainlands. I guess I just pieced it together." She replies with a shrug. "He also said you're leaving..."

"Just for a few hours. We'll be back as soon as we convince the mainlanders to make peace with dragons, like we have."

She frowns in confusion. "Why?"

Suddenly, Hiccup's gaze goes distant, as if his thoughts are a million miles away. "They're still killing dragons over there...the Needlemouth's nest is in danger of being destroyed. If that happens, they'll have nowhere to go." His expression tightens when he says, "Ambereyes' baby, Scorch, was even burnt by them...if we don't do something to stop this...someone is going to die. Whether it be human or dragon, I don't care. I'm sick of death..."

Astrid closes her eyes. "That's horrible."

"I know."

She hears him stand up and quickly opens her eyes again, afraid he's going to leave so soon. "When are you going?" She asks, hurriedly.

"As soon as possible." His back is to her. There's a stiffness about his posture that makes her think he really is going to leave.

"Hiccup, wait a second." She says, reaching out and grabbing his wrist. He turns back, looking surprised. "I just..." She bites her lip, her nervousness having returned ten-fold. "Thank you. For saving me." Tugging him toward her, she sits up and grabs his tunic. She just barely sees the shocked look in his emerald eyes before she presses her lips to his. Their kiss seems to last forever, even though it only takes a few seconds. When they finally part, Astrid smiles at him. "Be careful out there. You never know what might happen."

Hiccup stares at her, his face flushed. He gulps and stands up straight again. "R-right...see you later, Astrid." With that, he hurries out the door, closing it behind him.

Astrid smirks. _Good luck._

* * *

Hiccup closes the door, his heart feeling like it might smash through his rib cage. He leans his back against the door and slides to the ground, his head spinning. "Wow..." He squeaks, uneasily. "I change my mind...I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

_**A/N: Sorry if you're not big on romance...I am. XD Anyway, thanks for reading and stay tuned! Next chapter will be up later today or tomorrow (If all goes well.)**_


	11. Cedany

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_**A/N: Just a warning. This chapter is a bit...quirky. You'll see what I mean.**_

The night air whispers around Hiccup's chilled body as he and his father grow closer and closer to the mainlands. The warmth of afternoon has long since deserted them, leaving him at the mercy of winter's clutches. He shivers, noticing the way his breath puffs out in front of him in little white clouds.

"How much further?" Stoick asks, steering Thornado closer to Toothless so Hiccup can hear him.

"We're almost there." Hiccup replies, turning around to make sure Ambereyes and Scorch are still behind them. He offers them a small smile. "Don't worry, girl." He says. "We'll get this straightened out."

She coos in response and Scorch bounces, happily on her back. He, at least, seems excited about the trip...

"Son," Stoick begins. There's a kind of apologetic expression on his face when he says, "Not that I don't think you can convince them but...I think you should let me do the talking when we get there...I just think that these strangers will have a better chance of listening to the chief than...a fourteen year old boy."

Hiccup seems thoughtful for a moment. "Yeah, you're right." He agrees.

Stoick nods. "Let's just hope they listen to reason..." At that moment, the shore of the mainlands comes into view. Hiccup swallows, remembering how they were attacked last time they were here.

_We'll have to be careful...these people seem dangerous. _He can't help but remember the fire-canon that burned Ambereyes. As well as the scorch mark on Scorch's chest. "Come on, the village is just a little farther." He tells his father.

Stoick nods and follows Hiccup as they glide above the tree tops. Stoick glances at his son and his eyes go wide. In this lighting, riding on the back of a Night Fury, Hiccup almost looks...dangerous. Stoick shivers and turns away. He never thought he'd see the day when he'd think _Hiccup_, his boy, looks menacing. A few months ago, that would have made him the proudest man alive. Now, he can't help but wonder what thoughts are going through Hiccup's head to make him scowl like that...

* * *

"We're here." Hiccup announces just as they reach the edge of the forest. He and Stoick stop, alerting Ambereyes to stop as well. They hover above the trees for a moment. "What do you think we should do?" He asks his father.

"Flying in there on dragons won't help our situation. They might try to shoot us down."

Hiccup nods in agreeance.

"Let's find a place to land. We'll talk to them first, bring in dragons in later."

Hiccup pats Toothless's side. "You heard him, bud." With that, Toothless lowers to the ground. Hiccup scoots out of the saddle and takes a breath to steady his nerves. "Alright. You guys stay here." He says to the dragons. He immediately notices the way Toothless moves a little closer, as if not realizing he's a part of the 'dragons'. "That means you, Toothless." He clarifies, folding his arms.

The Night Fury drones, unhappily and glares at his Rider. He's sick of being left behind.

"I know, bud." Hiccup says, apologetically, cupping his friend's head in his hands. "But it'll be safer for everyone if you stay here." Leaning in close, he whispers, "Besides, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the others, make sure they don't get into trouble while we're gone."

Toothless still doesn't exactly seem happy, or even fooled by the fake mission given by his Rider. But he contents himself with laying down in the tall grass and scowling off into the distance.

Hiccup laughs a little at his friend's attitude and he shakes his head. "We'll be back soon." He and Stoick start toward the village, reminding their dragons, one last time, to stay put.

* * *

The first time he was here, Hiccup hadn't exactly been paying attention to the village, itself. He was more focused on not being shot down by the townspeople. But now that he's here, on the ground and in minimal danger, there's few things he notices about the place.

First of all, the buildings are odd to him. They don't have the familiar arched roofs and they aren't decorated with shields and images of dragons. These buildings have angular, slanted roofs and are rather boring to look at. Their windows are fogged up by the cold but there's a warm glow emanating from within. Snow blankets the whole town and icicles hang from the trees and houses.

In the center of town, there's a large fountain full of frozen water. A huge statue adorns the top of it. Hiccup tilts his head, studying it. It's a person riding on...something, some kind of animal. The person is wearing a full suit of armor and carrying a heavy-looking shield in one hand. The other hand is grasping a sharp sword which is pointed toward the sky. Hiccup isn't sure who this person is supposed to be, but he's positive that he must be a warrior of some kind.

"This place is strange." Stoick comments as he studies the town.

"Yeah it is." Hiccup moves a little closer to the fountain, seeing that there's a plaque near its base. Written on the plaque is the name 'Merek the Dragon Slayer'. _I guess this guy was a famous dragon killer or something. _He frowns. _This might be tougher than I thought..._

"Can I help you?"

Hiccup and Stoick spin around to face the unfamiliar voice. There's a woman standing behind them, holding a rolling pin in her hands. She stares at them for a second, obviously not sure what to make of them.

"My, my..." She mutters, eyeing up their clothing, Stoick's wild beard and Hiccup's metal leg. "You two some kind of traveling show or something?"

"No." Stoick answers, stiffly. "We're here to discuss something with the leader of this village. Where is he?"

The woman snorts, humorously. "You want to speak to Lord Merek? Who do think you are?"

"I am Stoick the vast,"

"Indeed." She cuts in, looking at his gut.

Stoick glares at her, clearing his throat. "I am chief of the Island of Berk."

"Oh? That so?" Next, her beady-eyed gaze flicks to Hiccup. "And who's this?"

"My son." Stoick answers. "Hiccup."

She raises an eyebrow at that. "Why'd you say hiccup just now?"

"Because that's my name." Hiccup tells her, not understanding why she would be confused.

"Your _name_ is Hiccup?"

The two Berkians nod.

"Poor boy." She mutters. "Anyway, I doubt you'll be able to speak to Lord Merek until morning anyway, so why don't you-"

"Martha!" Another voice exclaims.

_Oh great, more introductions. _Hiccup growls to himself.

A man pokes his head out the door of a nearby house. "Are you planning on standing out there all night?"

The woman, Martha, turns to him and shouts, "I'll be in when I'm good and ready!"

"Ma'am." Hiccup says, deciding he feels impatient.

She looks back at him, a little scowl on her wrinkled face. "What is it, _Hiccup_?"

"Are you sure there's no way we can-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone flinches at the sound of the scream.

"What was that?!" Hiccup gasps, whipping his gaze all around the village. Stoick grabs his son's shoulder, protectively. Martha's eyes bulge out and she runs inside, slamming the door behind her.

Suddenly, someone bursts forth from the woods. His face is pale and his eyes frantic. "EVERYONE! DRAGONS IN THE FOREST! DRAGONS IN THE FOREST!"

Hiccup goes stiff. _Toothless...! _"Dad, come on we've got to-" But he's too late. The streets flood with villagers, all of which immediately look to Stoick and Hiccup with suspicious scowls on their faces. Clearly, they aren't used to visitors. Most of them are armed and start taking off toward the woods. _NO! _Hiccup yanks free of his father's grasp and tries squeeze through the crowd. _I need to get to Toothless before they do! _

"Everyone stop!" The booming voice cuts through all the frantic cries and shouts like a knife through butter. Everyone goes still, including Hiccup. The armed men pause at the brink of the trees and look back, lowers their weapons. A man, dressed in a fancy tunic and woolen cape, steps in the road. The throngs of people split in order to let him through. "You know the rules. We let the dragons come to us. That makes it easier." He stops walking and stares at Stoick for a moment. "It seems we have some guests..." He notes. "Welcome to Cedany. I am the Lord of this town, Merek."


	12. Agreements

_**Chapter Twelve**_

_**A/N: We're almost done! Just one more chapter after this one! Also, I found a book in the store a few days ago called "Scorched" (By Mari Mancusi). It's about a dragon and immediately reminded me of little Scorch! I'm reading it now... XD It's a really good book! I recommend you check it out if you're into time travel and dragons and all that.**_

Hiccup stares at the man in front of him. Merek, the leader of this tribe, is intimidating to say the least. Quite tall and well-built, with muscles that make Dagur look like a shrimp... His dark chestnut hair is swept back to reveal a broad forehead and stony, grey eyes. Those same eyes flicker back and forth between Stoick and his son, scrutinizing their odd clothing and strange, leather riding gear.

"Welcome," Merek says as he steps forward from the crowd. "And who might you be?"

Stoick steals a glance at his son, his eyebrow arched in a silent question. "I am Stoick the Vast, chief of the people of Berk." He motions to Hiccup and says, "This is my son, Hiccup."

"Berk...?" Merek echos, recognition gleaming on his face. "Yes, I was there once before. A beautiful island...and you're the cheif?"

Stoick nods.

Merek smiles and speaks up so his people can hear him. "Well, this is an honor. What have we done to deserve your presence here?"

"Well, actually-" Hiccup begins. He's cut off when one of the armed men from before pushes his way through the crowd and grabs Merek's arm, whispering something in his ear. Something that makes Cedany's chief go rigid.

"I'm sorry." Merek suddenly says. "But we'll have to talk later. Stoick," He flashes a daring smirk at Hiccup's father. "I hear the people of Berk are quite skilled at killing dragons...would you like to assist me with some troublesome ones my men found in the woods?"

As if on que, Hiccup hears the sound of several men tramping through the woods. They grunt under the strain of tugging something heavy behind them. Squinting through the darkness, Hiccup's face goes white as a sheet when he sees what's causing them so much effort. "Toothless...!" He gasps.

The Night Fury is trapped beneath a net, his legs bound by a bola. It takes three fully grown men to drag him into the town, where the villagers shriek in terror at the sight of him. Toothless's gaze immediately finds Hiccup within the throngs of people. Seeing him, he goes wild. Kicking and thrashing against his confines. He lets loose an enormous roar and tries to wiggle out the net. The men drop him. They flash each other dark looks before reaching for their weapons...

Hiccup's logical mind knows he should try to talk to Merek first. He is the leader after all. But his legs have other ideas. Before Stoick can stop him, Hiccup is sprinting through the crowd, shoving past shocked villagers in a desperate attempt to save his friend.

One of the men who are pulling Toothless, suddenly turns around and yells something at the dragon, probably to stop moving so much. He lifts his axe preparing to being it down on Toothless.

"STOP!" Hiccup screams as he dives forward, pushing the man away. The guard stumbles and falls flat on his back, staring at Hiccup as if he's gone mad. His weapon skitters, harmlessly away from him. "Don't hurt him!" Hiccup barks, placing himself between them and Toothless.

"Boy, have you lost your mind?!" Another man yells at him. "Turning your back to a Night Fury? Assaulting an armed guard?!" He reaches out to pull Hiccup away.

Seeing that, Toothless snarls and begins to struggle again. He flexes his wings, wanting so badly to just break free.

"Stoick, what is your boy doing?!" Merek demands. "He's going to get someone killed!"

"Move, boy!" Someone shouts. "That's a Night Fury! The unholy-"

"-offspring of lightning and death itself. I know." Hiccup rolls his eyes but doesn't move out of the way. "But trust me, this Night Fury isn't a threat to you."

"Not a threat?!"

"Are you insane?!"

"It'd kill us all if it got the chance!"

"No." Hiccup shakes his head. "He wouldn't."

Only then does Merek step forward, raising an arm to silence his followers. "And how can you be so sure?"

Hiccup smirks, nervously and steals a glance at his dad. "Because. He's my friend." He offers an impish shrug, knowing they probably won't believe him.

"Friend?" Someone asks, a tone of disbelief plain in their voice. "With a dragon?"

Hiccup nods, smiling when Stoick appears next to him.

"It's true." Stoick tells them. "The whole island of Berk has made peace with dragons."

While his father is talking, Hiccup kneels down and starts cutting the net with his knife. He whispers apologies to Toothless, breathing a sigh of relief once his friend is set free.

The whole town of Cedany simultaneously gasps when Toothless shakes the net the rest of the way off. They watch in horror, raising their weapons when he takes a little step toward Hiccup and opens his mouth. Surely, that child has lost his mind. His father too. But then-

"Haha, Toothless!" Hiccup laughs, quietly when the dragons licks the side of his face, leaving a trail of slobber. He reaches up to wipe it away, not realizing the whole town is watching him. He scratches under Toothless's chin, inciting a purr from him. It's only then that he notices the dead silence all around them. Hiccup turns around, grimacing at the sight of every pair of eyes in the place locked on him and the winged, fire-breathing lizard.

"It's true...!" Someone gasps.

"The dragon didn't kill him...!"

"Did you hear it purr...?!"

"Increadible...!"

Stoick smirks down at his son and slowly shakes his head. He should have known that those two would manage to win them over as well. After all, they did it in Berk. He chuckles and turns to look at Merek, who is staring, wide-eyed at them.

"Well?" Stoick asks him, motioning to his son and his dragon.

Merek looks truly blown away. He shakes his head as well. "Why have you two come here...?" He asks in a low voice.

Hearing that, Hiccup stands up. Toothless nudges his Rider's waist, affectionately. He reaches back and pats the dragon's snout, muttering something to him. "We're here because of-" But his words die on his lips. "Ambereyes..." He gasps.

"Who?"

Hiccup spins around to face the armed men. "Were there any other dragons in the woods?" He demands, fear roiling in his gut. They wouldn't have...would they?

One of them nods. "We saw a Needlemouth but it managed to escape." He motions to Toothless and says, "We don't know why he stayed."

_Because Toothless can't fly without me. _Hiccup reminds himself. "Did you see where she went?"

They shake their heads. "It disappeared into the clouds."

Hiccup frowns. _I hope Ambereyes and Scorch are okay..._

Stoick touches his son's shoulder, reminding him to stay focused on the task at hand. They can always look for Ambereyes later.

Hiccup frowns, nervousness eating away at him. Surely, some of the village doesn't know not to attack dragons. What if they get caught in fire again...? What if they get hurt? "We're here to convince you to stop killing dragons." Hiccup says, shortly. "By attacking them, you're beginning to drive them out of their nest and a couple of them even showed up on Berk. Ambereyes attacked our village because she had no way of feeding her hatchling."

A rumble goes through the crowd. Stop killing dragons?

"Why should we?!" Someone yells. "You say we're finally driving them out? Good! We can get rid of them once and for all!"

"Yeah!" Someone else agrees.

"No!" Hiccup barks. "Trust me, if you try to empty their nest, you're going to have more dragons than you can handle. This whole place will be destroyed! You're best hope is to stop fighting them all together!" He jabs a finger at Toothless. "This is what happens when you befriend them! Dragons are loyal and protective! If you treat them right, they'll stick by you no matter what!"

As if to emphisize this, Toothless coos, loudly and nuzzles his head against Hiccup's. Even under the circumstances, Hiccup grins at him.

"We can help you! On Berk, we train them!" He continues. "You can too!"

The people of Cedany exchange wide-eyed looks. Low whispers roll through their masses until, finally, Merek steps forward. He folds his arms and stares at Hiccup and Toothless for a moment. "I don't know what to say." He admits. "For hundreds of years, we've been battling the beasts...now you say we don't have to? We can...train them?"

Hiccup nods, eagerly.

Merek sighs and looks back to his people. "Everyone return to your homes. We will have a meeting regarding this in the morning at Square. For now, get some rest...Thor knows you need it."

After a second of hesitation, the people do as they're told and begin filing toward their homes. A few kids linger in the doorways for a moment, eyeing Hiccup and Toothless with mixed expressions, ranging from horror to excitement. After a while though, even they disappear inside.

Merek plants his hands on his hips and looks back to Hiccup and Stoick. With an uneasy smile, he says, "Stoick, you're boy's got quite a way with words..."

Stoick nods. "That he does."

Hiccup blushes but doesn't look away. He's been firm up until this point, why back down now? As if sensing his Rider's determination, Toothless remains perfectly still as well. His emerald eyes staring up at Merek, a curious spark hidden within.

Merek pretends not to notice the five-hundred pound beast. "My people and I will have a meeting in the morning. But until then, you should return home. We'll send a ship out within the next few days to give you our answer."

Hiccup gulps. What if they say no? What will happen to Ambereyes and Scorch and all the other dragons living here?

But Stoick only nods. "That seems reasonable. Thank you." He places a hand in the center of Hiccup's back and ushers him toward the tree line. Toothless follows them, occasionally glancing back at the strange town they're leaving behind. Within minutes, they're back where they left the dragons. There are obvious signs of a struggle, where the men captured Toothless.

Hiccup breaks away from his father and sprints into the clearing. Flashing his gaze all around the sky, he calls, "Ambereyes! Scorch!"

He gets no response.

"Ambereyes!" He shouts, even louder. "Scorch! Are you there?!"

Nothing.

Stoick sighs and pats his son's shoulder. "Don't worry." He tells him. "They're probably waiting for us in the clouds. Or back on Berk."

Hiccup frowns, worry shining in his eyes.

"They're perfectly capable of protecting themselves." Stoick reminds him. "And now the people of Cedany know not to kill them. They'll be okay, son."

Toothless purrs against Hiccup's waist, reassuring him as well.

"Yeah..." He mutters, quietly. "You're probably right..." With that, they both hop onto Toothless and ascend into the sky, eyes open for any sign of the missing Needlemouths.


	13. Beyond Our Borders

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

_**A/N: And here we are, guys. Last chapter! (Sorry it's so short) I hope you enjoyed Needlemouth! Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought. By the way, this is probably going to be trilogy-of-sorts so stick around and keep an eye out for the third 'book'.**_

_**This chapter is really Hiccup x Astrid-centric. Lots of gushy romance scenes but it does serve to wrap up the plot. So please bear with me! XD**_

_**Also, a tip about where I wanted this fanfic to go: The 2nd HTTYD movie is about Hiccup going to other lands with Toothless. I thought introducing the mainlands could be an 'origin story' of how he found those other lands and decided to explore them... I don't know. XD My own nerdiness kicked when.**_

* * *

"Hiccup...!" Astrid gasps at the sight of her friend's Night Fury racing through the sky, and heading right for the village. A brilliant smile lights her face as she sighs in relief. She hears a dragon coo behind her and turns to pat Ambereyes' head. "See? I told you they'd be fine." She whispers. She smiles at Scorch, who pokes his tiny head out from under his mother's wing.

That's when Toothless lands. Hiccup jumps off, a broad smile on his face as well. "Ambereyes, Scorch!" He runs over, relieved to see they're both okay. The Needlemouth coos at the sight of him and nuzzles her head in his chest, purring loudly.

"They were worried about you." Astrid says, gaining his attention. "But I told them you'd be fine."

Hiccup smirks, knowing she means to say that she was worried too. "Thanks for taking care of them...they must have gotten spooked when the mainlanders found them."

She nods. "So how'd it go? Did the mainlanders agree to make peace with dragons?"

Hiccup sighs and shakes his head. "They said they'd think about it. We're supposed to get an answer within the next few days..."

"Well that isn't a 'no'." She points out, noticing his distress.

"Yeah." He pats Scorch's head. "I'm just worried they _will_ say no. If they keep fighting dragons, one of the two sides is going to get wiped out eventually."

"And I'm sure they know that." She says, touching his shoulder supportively. "Don't worry about it so much." Having said that, she moves her hand from his shoulder to his chin, tipping his face up to meet hers. Their kiss lasts for several seconds and Astrid feels his face heat up against hers. She releases him and he wobbles, slightly.

"Wh-what was that for...?" He asks, breathlessly.

She smirks. "Do I always need a reason to kiss you?"

His face goes even redder, if that's possible, and Astrid laughs. She seems to think about something for a moment before drawing back her arm.

Hiccup flinches, knowing she's about to hit him. But she never does. Instead, he feels her arms slip around his neck in a warm embrace. His stomach flutters at the feeling of her touch.

"But, seriously, don't worry so much. It'll turn out okay." She tells him. She pauses slightly before adding, "I'm really proud of you, Hiccup. For everything you've done."

* * *

Toothless purrs in his sleep, his body almost vibrating because of it. Hiccup is leaning against him, his body being practically cradled by his dragon's tail. Beside them, Astrid is sitting in a similar position with Stormfly. The two teenagers gaze up at the sky, which is getting lighter as the sun travels above the pink and orange horizon.

"I wonder what will happen if the mainlanders make peace with dragons." Astrid whispers, not wanting to wake the dragons. "That would mean we'd have to go there regularly to teach them about training dragons..."

Hiccup nods. "That wouldn't be too much of a problem."

Astrid smiles at him. "When it comes to dragons, nothing is too much of a problem for you, _O' Mighty Dragon Tamer_."

He chuckles at the title. "Maybe..."

"So, how many Needlemouths were there...?" She asks him. "You were at the nest, right?"

He nods again. "Hundreds. And they weren't the only ones either..." He trails off for a moment. "I saw dragons there I never even heard of before...species that must only live outside of Berk."

Her eyes go wide, hearing that. "Hiccup, do you realize what this means?! If we get clearance to go to the mainlands whenever we want, we can learn about dragons even Bork never saw before! We could learn so much!"

"I know. Fishlegs will go crazy if we tell him..."

Astrid snickers but notices the deadpan tone in his voice. "You don't seem very excited. I thought, of all people, you'd be fascinated by new dragons..."

Hiccup offers her a sheepish grin. "I am. It's just..." He turns slightly and looks back at Toothless, who's still fast asleep. "I've been thinking...Toothless is the only Night Fury on Berk. But that doesn't mean he's the only one everywhere else, right?"

Astrid stares at the sleeping dragon, wondering if what Hiccup is saying could be true.

"Atrid, what if there are other Night Furies on the mainlands? Or...beyond that? There's land past even the mainlands. What kinds of dragons are there?"

She shakes her head, unable to comprehend what a treaty with the mainlands might mean for them. "We'd have an awful lot of exploring to do..."

"Yeah we would." He grins, liking the sound of that...

* * *

_This is Berk. We thought we knew all the different kinds of dragons that existed in our world. I now know that we were wrong. There are hundreds of dragons we've yet to even imagine. I can't even begin to think about what might lay beyond the mainland...the kinds of dragons that exist beyond our borders. Someday, I hope we'll be able to find out._


End file.
